The Princess Of Qi
by AllSignsPointToBreezi
Summary: This story follows the characters from the short stack video clips We Dance To A Different Disco Honey and Planets as well as a few added ones as they are kidnapped and they escape, it also ends with a twist. Enjoy.


**The Princess of Qi**

**Part One – The Princess's Guard Squad**

"I will never speak."

Shaun felt the air become colder as they descended deeper and deeper. He struggled to free himself from the man's grasp. The princess was more subtle, seemingly accepting her fate, terrible thought it was. Ahead of them a cold stone corridor, lit only by tiny fluorescent lights stretched out beyond their vision into dark and empty nothingness. The air was eerily silent, not a sound to be heard but their footsteps echoing back at them. The party made their way deeper and deeper underground, slowing only when a light in the distance became clear. Shaun's heart skipped a beat, not knowing what to expect was almost worse than knowing you were probably experiencing your last moments alive. People say that when you're about to die your life flashes before your eyes, but Shaun, as he struggled more desperately now, saw nothing; his mind was a blank slate, not able to comprehend his surroundings or hatch a plan of escape. So, as they drew nearer and nearer to the end of the tunnel Shaun sent up a silent prayer and risked a glance behind him; the princess seemed to be doing the same. A few moments later, without warning, they were shoved forwards; Shaun fell heavily scraping his palms on the dirt floor. Looking back he saw the princess being thrown in after him, falling more gracefully the many folds of her kimono cushioning her fall. The two men, dressed head to toe in black, threw in her mask after her; she caught it and placed it on her lap just as the doors were slammed shut, padlocked tight and the room materialised properly before them.

The cell was tiny; just big enough for Shaun and the princess, the floor was dirt, the walls stone. Shaun leaned back against the wall opposite and stared through the wire doors. He felt utterly hopeless. On the floor at his feet, the princess replaced her mask and stood gracefully to stand beside him staring at him through her mask as if to comfort him. It didn't. He felt anger and hopelessness stir inside him and with a frustrated roar he slammed his body against the doors. They didn't budge and so he hammered them with his fist until his knuckles were raw but not quite bleeding. The doors still did not budge; frustrated he threw himself against the wall opposite. The princess just stared, not moving from where she was. Shaun stared back, angrily feeling as though all the hope was gone from their lives.

They remained there for a long time. There was no way to tell what time it was as Shaun's watch had stopped hours ago. It was enough to drive him insane, so he slid the watch off his wrist and threw it through a gap in the door, watching it skid silently along the floor until it disappeared from view. He slid down the wall to sit on the dirt floor and put his head back against the wall, closing his eyes. It was a terrible feeling that began to unfurl inside him now; a mixture of anger, frustration, hopelessness and fear. Shaun knew exactly what it was. It was the feeling that he was waiting to die.

Andy stole stealthily along the corridor, pulling up his hood as he went. Shaun should've been back by now, but he wasn't and that was why they were here. Personally, Andy had never thought it would come to this, but it had. He risked a glance at his surroundings the corridor was a cold stone place, lit only by tiny fluorescent lights that ran the length of the tunnel on one side; the other side was hidden in shadows and tall metal beams supported it. In the distance he heard footsteps approaching and so he stepped back, obscuring himself as three men dressed head to toe in black approached. One walked ahead of the others as if leading them. Andy watched quietly from the shadows, barely giving them time to pass before stepping into the light, pausing momentarily to make sure they didn't catch sight of him before turning the other way and continuing on his way keeping his head down and his hood up. It wasn't long before he was confronted by another man, dressed in the same way. Andy drew in a breath ready to fight. The man pushed his sleeves up revealing pale skin and big hands, which he balled into fists and stepped forward; ready to swing, Andy braced himself for the impact, just as Bradie stepped out from behind a nearby beam; a metal bar in one hand and swung at Andy's attacker from behind. The bar collided with the man's head and with a deafening crack he fell to the ground, unconscious. Andy looked up at Bradie. He didn't dare speak, just nodded as he reached up to take off his hood.

On the floor above them, a fight was taking place. The sound of metal clinking against metal could be heard. Every person in the room had one objective: stay alive. The bodies of the men in black were strewn across the floor as Shaun's backup team fought the remaining men. They were nearly all dressed in red and black - wearing red masks to hide and protect their faces – except for the team leader, Gemma. She was dresses in a short black dress, her black hair tied back in a ponytail and her heels clicking on the stone floor as she zigzagged her way through the fight away from Rachel.

Rachel was at the other end of the room, hot on Gemma's heels. She was tall and had long blonde hair that was slightly wavy. She was in charge of the men in the black suits, their leader and she was furious. Rachel had given her team direct instructions to capture the princess and her guard and also to make sure nobody found out their whereabouts; now Gemma's whole unit was here, thwarting her plans.

Rachel was getting closer to Gemma now; she was only a few meters ahead. Gemma glanced quickly over her shoulder and realised she was in danger. Rachel watched as she tried to run faster, out into a clearing near the door but one of her heels wedged itself between a crack in the floor. Gemma fell backwards, struggling to free her foot and dash for the door. But it was too late; Rachel's men were closing in. She felt a pair of strong hands grip her shoulders and pull her up, forcing her heel out of the crack with a deafening snap.

Andy and Bradie raced through the corridor, replacing their hoods as they ran. A light was becoming visible at the end of the tunnel. They ran faster now, Bradie still clutching the metal bar, the light coming nearer until they reached a doorway at the end of the corridor. The room beyond it was brightly lit; the walls stained with blood and at the far end was a tiny dirt cell. Bradie rushed forward towards the door.

Through the doors Shaun could see two men dressed in black advancing towards them. He got up; every muscle in his body tensed to fight. The princess stood beside him. One of the men held a metal bar; this was it. They were either going to be beaten to death or shot. Shaun closed his eyes sending up another silent prayer and this time his life did flash before his eyes. His breath was shaky now; the men were closer just outside the door the one with the metal bar raised it, ready to swing.

Shaun and the princess were in a horrible state, their clothes covered in dirt and their hair slightly matted. Shaun looked terrified, Bradie wondered why and then realised that they must look like those men; dressed head to toe in black barely visible. He reached up to take of his hood; Andy did the same. Relief flooded Shaun's face he rushed towards the door as Bradie bashed it open.

"Come on." Bradie motioned for them to follow him and he, Andy, Shaun and the princess followed him.

The corridor seemed to stretch out forever but they finally reached the end racing up the stairs and on the floor above. As they raced along the wall, they saw the bodies of good and bad guys alike strewn across the floor. Shaun was beginning to think they had won when they were confronted with eight more men in black, one of them wielding a sword. Shaun, Andy and Bradie stepped up to fight knowing that this was all that stood between them and freedom. One of the men stepped forward and the princess pushed Shaun aside, attacking the men with perfect precision as they all advanced on her until they were among the bodies on the floor. She beckoned for them to follow her and they did, slightly dumbfounded.

"To the palace." She told them.

**TO BE CONTINUED IN PART TWO**

**Part Two – Two Lives At Stake**

Rachel entered, her footsteps echoing around the tiny room. Gemma struggled but it was no use; her arms and legs were tightly bound to the chair. Rachel looked down upon her as though she was something foul, her mouth twisting into an evil smile. Gemma's eyes went wide with fear.

"You know who I am." Rachel said. Gemma struggled again; she was so scared she could barely move. As Rachel saw this she laughed, rounding on Gemma and twisting a piece of her ponytail in her hand. "I'm going to ask you once nice and then I'm gonna ask you nasty."

She released Gemma's hair and Gemma glanced sideways at her as she leaned in close, whispering in Gemma's ear; "Where is it?" scratching the side of Gemma's face with her long sharp nails. Gemma winced but didn't answer. She pulled Gemma's hair hard. "Where is it?" she asked again.

At the palace, the guard squad had been keeping a very close eye on the princess. A masquerade ball was taking place in the biggest ballroom, where Andy, Shaun and Bradie were watching for suspicious characters. They knew very well that Rachel wanted to capture the princess and knew equally well that she would stop at nothing. Bradie glanced around the room was filled with lords and ladies in splendid costumes and… masks. This didn't help; they couldn't tell who anyone was. He pushed past a group of men. Looking around for anyone who looked like Rachel.

Across the room Andy was being a little more social with the ladies. He was chatting to a group of them when a lone figure caught his eye. A girl with slightly wavy blonde hair in a gold dress and mask. He sat beside her, placing his champagne glass on the table beside him. He kissed her neck gently and reached up to take off her mask… she wasn't Rachel. Damn. He'd thought he had her. Andy turned away picking up his glass as he began to push his way through the crowd. She stood up after him.

"Wait-

But her voice was lost in the crowd and Andy ignored it.

"Brave little button." Rachel said as Gemma silently refused to answer another of her questions. She leaned in really close to Gemma and yelled, "Where is it?" When Gemma didn't answer she scratched her face again leaving her with a large gash on her cheek.

"It's dressed in the kimono." She choked.

"What?" Rachel asked.

"It's dressed in the kimono at… the Qi Palace."

"They have Gemma…" the voice in Shaun's earpiece was crackly. "At the compound. They tortured her and she gave in. They know where… they know where the princess is. They're coming after her!"

Shaun didn't know what to say. He didn't have time to say anything as her began to push his way through the crowd as quickly as possible towards the main hall, where the princess was sitting obliviously on her throne.

"Alert the Palace. Bring it to me." Rachel ordered the men standing guard at the door. Gemma was disgusted at how she called the princess an "it". The guards rushed off and Rachel left the room.

Shaun knelt before the princess holding out his hand to her; she took it and her led her towards the door of the hall. A group of black-clad guards blocked their path as Shaun reached for the handle. Shaun pushed and struggled against them but it was no use. The princess let go of his hand.

"No!" He said to her, reaching out for her hand.

"If we can have you we won't take her." One of the guards said to him. That was a sacrifice he was willing to make.

"Okay." He said. The princess reached for his hand.

"Princess, no!" Shaun said. She stared into his eyes. Shaun tried to let go of her hand but she held his tighter. She was closer to him now and Shaun could smell her breath. He stared at her.

"I-

She put a finger to Shaun's lips. Shaun was quiet and she kissed him. Shaun was a little startled as she said, "If we die, we die together."

The air was filled with the deafening sound of gunshots being fired. One by one the men surrounding them fell. Andy was standing in the doorway, a gun raised. As the last man fell, he lowered it.

"Nobody's gonna die." He said  
>"But Andy, you killed them!" The princess said, shocked.<p>

"No, they're tranquiliser darts and they don't work for very long. Come on."

They rushed up to the helipad on the roof. A chopper was waiting for them. When they reached the top the princess didn't move.

"Go on." Shaun told her "You have to go."

"Aren't you coming too?"

"I'm afraid not." Shaun said. "It's for your own safety."

The princess looked close to tears as she leaned in to kiss Shaun.

"We will see each other soon." She said as she reached up and took off her mask holding it out to Shaun. "Take it."

Shaun did but very carefully. She climbed into the helicopter and as it prepared for take of blades whirring she said. "Take care. I will see you soon, Shaun!"

"I hope so." And Shaun turned to leave knowing he would probably never see her again.

**THE END**


End file.
